Mental health issues are often ignored in popular discourse, though far less so than in the past. The CDC reports that a whopping 12.5% of all American adults have regular feelings of worry, nervousness, or anxiety.

Meanwhile, 5% of those 18 and over suffer regular feelings of depression. That means that, on average, every person out of twenty that you meet on the street is likely to be dealing with depression. In 2019, there were 15 million recorded visits to the physician’s office by Americans with depressive disorders.

At the time of writing, the ‘Mental health memes’ account had just over 9k followers on Instagram. The founder of the social media project, Leon, posts memes that are both light and silly, as well as hit way, way too close to home.

Either way, the founder is bringing the discussion about mental health to people’s feeds. And you never know—a single humble meme might be what encourages someone to reach out to a professional for help because they relate to the quip very much. And we’d also rather see memes than the topic being ignored in public discourse.

Previously, Bored Panda tackled the topic of the stigma surrounding therapy and how to determine whether a therapist is the right fit for us or not. Broadly speaking, capable therapists are those who make their patients feel heard, normalize their experiences, and always keep the focus on them.

Psychotherapist Silva Neves previously told us that even though there’s still stigma attached to seeking help for one’s mental health, things are getting better.

"I think it is getting better and there is less stigma seeing a therapist now. It depends on your location though, there are still some parts of the world where therapy is still a taboo. Some people think that seeing a therapist means that you're 'crazy,' but this is not actually what therapy is about," he told us during an earlier interview.

"Therapy is a confidential and private space where you can get help from a professional with anything that bothers you, from your work problems, relationship issues, or other psychological problems such as post-trauma stress, depression, and anxiety," the therapist said.

"Those things are actually very common and many people struggle with these things, it doesn't mean they're crazy. Seeing a therapist when you have emotional struggles should be as normal as seeing your doctor when you have a physical problem. But at the moment, our society hasn't normalized therapy yet. It is changing with famous people talking about the benefits of therapy such as Lady Gaga and Prince Harry,” he told Bored Panda.

Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, therapy and mental health issues are still considered to be shameful. "Admitting we need help isn't easy—in many cultures, there is value placed on self-sufficiency and the ability to work things out on our own. To admit that we're in need of assistance can make us feel like failures,” therapist Suzanne Degges-White explained to us previously.

“There's a sense of shame for some people, as well. In addition, just acknowledging struggles with mental health—including stress, anxiety, or depression—is still a taboo for many people due to how their families viewed therapy and counseling. It's a challenge to get people into therapy and it can be even more of a challenge to keep them engaged until they've worked through their issues sufficiently,” the mental health expert told Bored Panda during an interview a while ago.

"When we feel that no one understands us, or we feel things that don't make sense to us, or we're struggling in a relationship, therapy may provide the means to a resolution. In going into a first session with a therapist, we should be ready to be met with the core conditions of counseling in our therapist—genuineness, unconditional positive regard, and empathy. We should feel that our therapist 'gets us' and makes us feel at ease as we open up,” the expert said.

"We should also recognize that it can be weird, at first, to open up to a stranger, but also feel that as we do self-disclose, the therapist supports us as we risk being open and honest. Not every therapist fits every client—sometimes we might have to engage in a couple of 'misses' before we find the therapist who is right for us. However, we shouldn't give up trying—when we have the courage to reach out, it means that we are ready for change—keep up the motivation to work on the issue that's keeping you from moving forward."

Therapists aim to provide a broader picture for their clients, so it’s important that they make them feel as though their struggles are not unusual or unexpected. “That helps us feel better about seeking help. In addition, when a therapist really listens deeply to us, that can be healing in itself. There is a great deal of power in talk therapy—being able to find a space to say out loud what we need to say is so liberating!” she said.